Rose Brut Nature 2010 (two hours skin contact)
Very bright and fresh green red berries, hints of floral but actually quite herbaceous. Ripe ruby red fruits, impression of sweetness but its just the fruit. Light fresh, fairly broad for a traditional method sparkling wine. Quite an interesting profile.
Branco Brut Nature 2010 (bical, maria gomes, arinto)
Nice clean citrus nose, a little mineral influence, but very little autolysis. Bright fruity apples and citrus elements, clean pure and focused on the palate. Good balance and nice finish as well.
Tinto Brut Nature Baga Super Reserva 1999 (disgorged 2011)
Traces of large barrel aged oxidative influence and bottle age combination. Wonderfully ripe bright fruit, but without the dosage looks savoury, meaty and dry. Nice and soft and mellow, not at all heavy or cloying, tannins softened with age.
Reserva Baga 2008 (one year large old barrels, 2-3 years in bottle)
Rustic, a little wild, slightly smoky meaty, quite tight and closed, earthy herbal green influence, very shy fruit. Soft chewy juicy cooked tannins, bold full round, opulent and assured but quite different. Certainly designed for ageing, not showing amazingly at the moment. Certainly an influence from the fermentation process, slightly volatile.
Garrafeira Baga 2000
Wild earthy volcanic, complicated aromas, basalt flintiness, some liquorice and dried chrysanthemums. Dense bolder drier, much more mature (obviously), bolder and more powerful but not necessarily aggressive. Structure up the wazoo, but unique fruit characters.
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| The top wine, patiently ageing away, already 12 years old |
The Intrepid Wino 